First steps to farm safety

Farms are unique workplaces. The combination of hazards and the nature of the work makes agriculture one of the most dangerous sectors in which to work. This guide, also available in Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese language, provides farmers with a foundation for establishing good safety practices on your farm. The checklists in this guide are not extensive and cover key points to get started.

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PAGEO resources

A series of resources including interpretive guidelines, guides, and information sheets were developed to provide support and assistance to onshore and offshore petroleum, pipeline and geothermal energy operators to meet their commitments under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 and Work Health and Safety (Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Operations) Regulations 2022.

Interpretive guidelines and guides were developed to provide essential support for operators to meet their commitments under WHS compliance.

Don't get burnt out during harvest - plan for fire safety management

The harvest season can bring risks to the health and safety of farm workers, families and livelihoods.

Higher ambient temperatures, humidity and winds, dry stubble and hot machine parts and exhausts are all factors that can contribute to causing a fire. Developing and adopting a fire safety management plan is one of the best ways to protect workers, livestock, and plant from harm.

Here are some basic steps to take to minimise the risk of fires during harvesting.

Agricultural chemical transport

Most farms use some form of dangerous goods, either to operate machinery or to control weeds or pests. Dangerous goods are substances that have properties that can be dangerous or hazardous to health if not transported, stored and handled safely.

There are seasonal upsurges in the transport of transport of agricultural chemicals (agchem); of herbicides, insecticides, fumigants and emulsions or solvents for spraying applicators, to ensure availability of these products to farmers in large horticultural, broad acre and irrigation districts.

Consulting with workers: PAGEO

Consultation is a collaborative process between operators of petroleum and geothermal energy facilities and their workers. It involves sharing information and ensuring that views of workers are taken into account when making decisions. 

The Work Health and Safety (Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Operations) Regulations (WHS PAGEO Regulations) requires operators to involve workers by consulting:

Nomination of an operator

Under the WHS PAGEO regulations no work is permitted on a facility or operation unless the nomination of an operator has been accepted by the regulator and the nominated operator has been added to the register being maintained by the regulator [r. 20].

It should be noted that this requirement over-rides any previous registration of operators that may have taken place when applying for pipeline licences etc.